Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained
by ko torii
Summary: Kagome needed a change, and only a town halfway around the world would do.
1. 92 Subaru

Alright! So I'm back with my first new story in almost a year…several updates are on their way (taking their dear sweet time of course lol) This newest story is loosely based on a concept that anyone who takes part in Facebook will recognize. I put my Ipod on shuffle and with the first 11 songs that were played decided to make a new story. I'm aware not everyone loves song fics, so I will continue my pattern of separating the song from the story clearly so it is easily skip-able for any straight narrative readers. 7 pages for a first chapter ain't bad for my first time back.:)

The song in this chapter is called "92 Subaru" by Fountains of Wayne.

To listen to it here is a link that requires no downloading pr accounts:

http: // www . playlist . com / searchbeta / tracks # 92 % 20subaru (minus the spaces)

Disclaimer: I do not claim any rights toward the creation/ownership of the characters of Inuyasha or the lyrics written by Fountains of Wayne.

Enjoy!

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_Tokyo, Japan_

Kagome Higurashi wasn't what one would call the adventurous type. Sure she tried exotic looking foods and went on horribly unsafe looking roller coasters with her friends; like most people, but she didn't exactly live a life of danger and mystery. She had created a modest life in a rather lovely little flat on the outer edges of Tokyo and worked in a rather unimposing building deeper in town called "Flor". Working as a Co-Manager at a hip little clothing boutique nestled in Tokyo's shopping district definitely had its perks. The first and foremost being the amazing discounts on some of the hottest fashions of the season. However, as fantastic as the position may be it had one major downfall that could be summed up into two words: The Elite. High fashion drew all sorts of fabulous looking people with super sized egos and even worse attitudes. Every single one, be them male or female, came in with their heads held high to look down their noses at anyone who appeared unworthy of their all-important presence. Kagome almost always seemed to receive this treatment, while her co-worker Kaori managed The Elite with a calm grace. It was frustrating to say the least. It was this mountain of stress that urged Kagome to return home at least once a month and unwind.

Her flat was spacious enough for one person, and had an unbeatable panoramic view of the city she'd grown to love. It really was a lucky find, especially with all of the space constraints in a city as jam packed as Tokyo. However, this cozy apartment could never be considered her true home. After all, she came from a long line of mikos and monks and was therefore brought up in a holy environment; one that called to her inner need for peace of mind that was so illusive in town.

Her family home stood out ever so slightly from the identical architecture of the cookie-cutter-neighborhood she had once lived in. It was here long before the suburbs ever were, and would hopefully be standing long into the future. This home was none other than the Higurashi Shrine, made famous by the stories about brilliant displays of holy warriors and ancient religious relics that even international museums would fight to own. It was this very shrine that could be seen in the distance from her drivers seat. Just seeing the shrine gate standing as picturesquely as it had in her childhood began to calm her frazzled nerves.

Her decision to come home on this balmy Tuesday was not solely due to the demanding nature of her city life. She had made a decision, and her mother would have to hear about it in advance and in person. This wasn't something that a mother should be told over the phone. Kagome Higurashi: miko and 'fashonista extraordinaire' was taking a temporary leave from her senses. She had, in other words, decided to take half a year abroad. In California.

Mrs. Higurashi saw her daughter coming down the street in the same local taxi she always used. It was halfway through the month and about the same time that her daughter would always come visit to take a break from the real world. As much as she enjoyed having her little girl visit her so often, she sometimes thought that maybe her daughter needed a little more spice to her life.

Entering her family home Kagome abruptly yelled, "Mama? I'm home!"

"Kagome, dear! Come into the kitchen. I'm just starting dinner!"

Was the only response she received. After crossing the small entry hall Kagome turned at the doorway to the kitchen only to stop at the center table. Delicately sitting in the old wooden chairs she placed her hands on the tabletop and waited for her mother to notice her placement. However, her mother was far too busy listening to some music on the kitchen radio while washing dishes. There were several minutes filled of only soft music and the clanking of dishes in the sink, a soothing rhythm that Kagome welcomed in her stressful life. Once finished, Mrs. Higurashi turned around drying her hands and raised an eyebrow at her eldest child. It was unusual to see her sitting so formally while at home. With no words she sat at the table and locked eyes with Kagome.

With a deep breath Kagome decided to dive right in. Literally. She was talking very quickly and arguing with herself.

"Mama….I have something kind of important to tell you. And it's not bad! Well not too bad…well not bad at all, just weird...but not weird in a strange way! Just…just…oh! You know what I mean!"

With a sigh Kagome thought to herself, 'Well there goes the calm approach. Great job Kagome.'

"Kagome I need you to repeat that a lot slower. Try actually breathing between sentences. Then I'll try to understand."

Kagome steeled herself for the shock she was about to bring to her mother.

"Well….mama…I've decided on something."

"What?"

"I'm going to spend half a year in America."

"You're what?! You can't be serious! You have a wonderful job, an apartment, and a family here. Why on earth would you want to go to California?"

With a sarcastic grin Kagome replied,

"Mama! I'll be fine. I already told Kaori she'd have to be a single manager for a while. She didn't seem to be upset at all, so my job will still be there when I come back. And you know that I signed the two-year lease on my apartment. The up-front payment plan I chose is finally going to come in handy. I'm caught up on a whole year of rent."

Mrs. Higurashi told herself to calm down and took a deep breath. Finally looking up at her daughter with an amused expression she said,

"Well, it will be quiet around here without you and Souta bickering during your visits, but you're an adult now and I suppose I should try and be supportive. Let's start getting you packed."

"Oh thank you!!" With a great hug to her mother Kagome excitedly headed up the stairs, feeling like a peppy high school girl for the first time in almost four years.

**I bought a car off a couple o' ladies way upstate**

**Took off the Greenpeace sticker and the New Hampshire plates**

**My friends are saying that I may have made a mistake but I**

**I tell 'em have a little faith now fellas, just you wait

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**_Middle of nowhere, North Carolina_

A young man in a business casual outfit approached Kagome while she was looking at a little blue car in his used vehicles lot. He was after all, Kouga Wolfe. The most successful car salesman his side of the old Mason Dixon line. He started off negotiations with a casual, "So what do you think?"

Kagome turned to look up at the man who questioned her. A quick perusal told her that he was most likely a sleazy salesman, so she'd have to go in fast and hard to get this car for dirt-cheap.

"Personally, I think this car is a piece of crap."

With a look of shock Kouga said, "Miss….?"

"Higurashi."

"Well Miss Higurashi, I can assure you that none of the cars in this in lot are in anything less than mint condition. We take great pride in our vehicles here."

"So that's why there's a crack in the windshield, rusting paint and what looks like a patched spare tire on the rear axle? And that's only what I can see!"

Sputtering for a quick recovery Kouga finally managed to pull himself together and turned back to Kagome with a suave smile that she didn't like one bit.

"What? It must have been vandalized! Here, let me show you a vehicle that I'm sure you will love."

He gently put a hand on Kagome's lower back to lead her toward their more expensive vehicles thinking all the time that he was about to get a big sale. Kagome however, had ideas that all disagreed. That little blue piece of crap was just the piece of crap that she wanted to carry her around this foreign country. If it could survive all of the damage it had already gotten and still be sellable on the market then she was confident it would be good enough to get her to California.

With a quick glance to his nametag Kagome said, "Actually Mr…..Kouga, I think I will take that little blue number back there. I'm sure I can give you a great deal for a fixer upper like that. 2,000 dollars would be generous, but luckily for you I'm a rather generous person."

"2,000? Are you ridiculous? A quality vehicle like that for so little? All it needs is a coat of paint and a new tire and it will be golden!"

"Don't try and play me Mister. I know cars and I know that that car is a hop, skip and a jump away from being a real lemon!"

Becoming resigned to having this woman rip him off for his cute little Subaru Kouga lead her to the filing desk where two ladies sat waiting.

"Kagome these lovely ladies are Gina and Henrietta. They'll help you with all the paperwork, and don't let 'em sass you." With a wink to the two women, who were in a twitter over his joke, Kouga left to hopefully find a less knowledgeable customer.

"Well howdy! My names Gina and this here's Henri. You buying that blue bonk in the side lot? I hope you know it's gonna need a good amount of work. But is awful cute! Well let's see here…"

She went off to work on the paper work while Henri fought the filing cabinet to get out the registration and keys to this little blue Subaru. Kagome watched all these proceedings with wide eyes. These Americans really are like what everyone said they would be. Usually out for money, loud and friendly, if not a little odd.

**Puttin' in the new shocks and the anti-lock brakes**

**One touch ignition for convenience sake**

**And when I'm through it's gonna look and run better than new**

**So baby don't make a move**

**Because I'm coming for you**

**I'm coming for you**

Henri turned to Kagome with a maternal smile and took one hand in both of hers in order to discreetly slip her a piece of paper. In a conspiratorial whisper she said, "Just go to this address and my son and nephew will set that little car straight for a price you can't sneeze at. You give me a call too if they try to pull any funny business on you, ya hear?"

"Henri you better not be trying to push Kouga's business to our boys again! You know how much trouble we got in with the dealership last time!"

Gina said all this with a concerned look, but then turned to Kagome with a sly wink. The two kind Southerly ladies got her into her new car in under a half hour and she was on her way downtown with hand drawn directions to the car shop that Henri wasn't supposed to tell her about. With another 3,000 dollars to spare in her budget, Kagome felt rather proud of herself. Now she just had to pray that the repairs didn't eat up all her spare money.

With a pop and grinding noise Kagome pulled to a rough stop on the side of the road near a building called "All the Fixin's." It looked disturbingly homey. This couldn't be the repair shop….it was just too cute, almost like a bed and breakfast in the country. However just to the left of the main building was a path that looked like it went around back. There was a small sign stuck in the ground with a car on it pointing down the side path. Despite the fact that the advertising left something desired Kagome figured she was already here, why not just go and see how bad this car garage was? Kagome walked toward the corner of the house and was about to go down the side path when,

"Hey over there! You named Kagome?!"

A shout came from behind her. As expected Kagome jumped about a foot in the air only to land ungraciously on her butt. With a hearty laugh a young man, the one she assumed yelled her name, came over and helped her to her feet.

"You scared me half to death!"

"Sorry 'bout that one, Ma always says I get a little carried away. My name's Hagakku by the way. Anyhow, are you the girl that belongs to that piece of crap at the end of my driveway? Cuz I just got a call from Aunt Henri at the dealership about it."

"Umm, yeah I just bought it. Do you think you could take a look at it for me?"

"I'll do more than look at it, I'll fix it up nice and shiny for you. No worries. Go on inside, my sister Ayame's making lunch in the inn."

Startled Kagome said, "Oh, you all own that cute little place too?"

"Ha, yes we do! Been in the family for years."

"Well thank you! I think lunch would be wonderful."

Kagome walked up to the house expecting to be loudly welcomed once again, and was not disappointed.

"Kagome! Come on in sugar, I'm making breakfast for lunch!"

"Huh?"

"Pancakes and hash browns sweetie, they're my specialty!"

"That's because you don' know how to make anythin' else Ayame!" Another young man who looked eerily like Hagakku came walking through the Kitchen door.

"Ginta watch your mouth! You know I'm not above tellin' your mama!"

"Yeah, yeah. Now move over before you burn anything. There's a reason why I'm the chef and you're the hostess ya know."

Kagome had watched this whole exchange and was rather entranced. Throughout the argument this man named Ginta and Ayame were fighting over a spatula. Covering each other's hands until Ginta's was at the top. At this point Ayame finally gave in, but she didn't seem too disappointed. It must be a common occurrence here to see the chef and hostess bicker like children. It was then that Kagome recalled that they were in fact cousins and had probably been bickering for as long as they'd been alive. She decided to let them figure it all out and headed back toward the porch. It was almost 6 o'clock and she didn't want to miss her first American sunset. She took up position on the stairs, which would have a decent view of the sunset, interrupted only by the old pines on the property. She may only be in North Carolina, but she was on her way to California and she was going to enjoy every moment here in America. After all, she would only be here for half a year.

**You better make way cause I'm coming through**

**In my late '92 baby blue Subaru**

**Ooh ooh ooh yeah yeah**

**My cousin Gary's taking a look at the transmission**

The sunset itself was stunning; not blocked off by skyscrapers or interrupted by the sounds of horrible traffic. No, this sunset was peaceful and with the welcome she had received from everyone thus far, she felt very much at home. In fact this bed in breakfast reminded her a lot of the shrine, if a little less religious. Only a few minutes after it began the sun had gone almost all the way below the horizon. Kagome stood with a peaceful sigh and turned to go back into the house. However, before she could get very far her momentum was stopped by another body.

"Oomf! Hey what's the big idea?!"

A voice said as she heard a thump on the porch. Her eyes were adjusting to the new darkness when she found a teenage boy sitting on the porch rubbing his side. 'Apparently that's what I ran into,' Kagome thought.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you when I got up. Here let me help you."

"No, no it's fine. I was supposed to come get you. "Lunch" is finally ready." With a grumble he said, "Although it might as well be dinner by now."

With a little laugh Kagome introduced herself to the young boy. She met the final member of the Wolfe family: Shippo. While they both walked toward the dining room they chatted about the family businesses. Shippo was the technology buff in the family and kept everything up to date from computers and cash registers to nifty little gizmos that people like to install in their cars. The car additions were actually done by his cousin Hagakku, but he made it all work. For a boy so young he had accomplished a number of things, and Kagome was very impressed. What had she done with her life? Sell clothes? Pamper the already pampered? The idea made Kagome even happier that she had come to America; maybe she could find something better to do with her life back in Japan.

Kagome also found out that Kouga was the one who started the garage that Hagakku now ran. He went on to open a branch of a popular car dealership just a few years ago. She could tell that there was a little tension over such a corporate decision in such a small business oriented family. 'That would explain the sassy secretaries,' she thought secretly.

"Well if you ever need your car "pimped" as they call it, you know who to call ok?"

They laughed together as they sat down to eat. Kouga had come back from the dealership and was a little disgruntled to see Kagome there at his home. But quickly got over it when he saw the food; Ginta had really done a fantastic job. Kagome didn't think she'd eat again for weeks after such a filling meal.

**Puttin' in the lime green plasma screen television**

**Seats feel like leather, you can't even tell that they're fake**

**And I only got a couple easy payments left to make**

**Just a little alcohol in the glove compartment minibar**

Kagome was surprised to learn it was against Wolfe family sensibilities to send a person out on the road after dark, even if they'd only known them for a day. So after everyone was filled up from dinner Ayame lead her to a room on the upper floor of the bed and breakfast. The minute the door opened Kagome had to tell herself to keep breathing, and not to flip out at the sheer amount of flowers covering every surface in the place.

"I hope you like nature Kagome, cuz this room here's as close as you can get to it in the indoors. Gram painted every single rose herself, bless her soul."

"Well, it is definitely well made Ayame. I've never seen anything like it."

"Really? Flower rooms are a big thing around these parts, but they gotta be done a certain way ya know."

With one silent prayer sent to the Kami above Kagome crossed the threshold into the brightly colored room and took it all in. Her bags were already on top of the trunk by her bed and there was a vase of fresh flowers over on her nightstand. With the huge bed with plush looking pillows and the antique Georgian style furniture, Kagome thought it could be really cozy…once you got passed the flowers. She said goodnight to Ayame and curled up in bed still in her travel clothes. Coming into a new country is a tiring thing and Kagome figured she deserved a good nights' rest.

**Open up the moonroof so we can sit back and watch the stars**

**Oh yes and the GPS so I always know where you are**

**So baby don't go too far**

**Because I'm coming for you**

**I'm coming for you**

Kagome had decided to wake up with the sun, or rather the sun decided to wake her up. She had left the curtains open when she'd plopped in bed and that decision haunted her the next morning. But after a strong cup of Ginta's super secret coffee mix and a stack of hotcakes Kagome was on her way, with a phone number to call the garage if her little Subaru broke down inside county lines and a new appreciation of the word Full. She had never eaten so much for breakfast in her natural life and doubted she ever would again. Ayame meant well by always refilling her plate, but four servings really were enough. It should save her time though, fewer snacking stops on her road trip.

Her bill at the garage ended up only coming out to around 1800 dollars, so Kagome had enough money left over to get one tool that would save her a lot of frustration down the line. After a short conversation with Shippo about her options, Kagome dished out a little more money and invested in a GPS. With her sense of direction, and the fact that she wasn't familiar with American roads, it seemed like a smart choice. The first thing she did was plot in her destination: San Diego, California. She pulled down her sunglasses and gripped the new steering wheel tight.

"Here I come."

**So baby just let me know when are you read to go**

**Come on sugar let's roll**

**You know I'm coming for you**

**That's what I'm gonna do**

**You better make way cause I'm coming through**

**In my 92 Subaru**


	2. Look at the Stars

Okaay everybody! I know none of you have been holding your breath for my slow updates…because that just couldn't be healthy….but here's one anyhow! The lyrics are by Beau Bristow from a song called "Look at the stars. " He's a wonderful artist that I've had the pleasure of seeing perform live, and if you would like to listen to this song while you read you can find it on his homepage at .com/lyrics. So on to part 2 of 11! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not in any way make a profit from the use of material owned by others in this fanfiction, such as the characters from "Inuyasha" or "Look at the Stars", this fanfiction is done for recreational purposes only.

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There are few ways to truly and fully describe the feeling of the sun beaming down on you as you drive down a long road with the windows down and the radio playing. The simplicity of the driven rhythm lends to the ethereal experience that is life on the open road. The wind ruffling through your hair, the sun glistening off of the hood ornament in front of you and the slow sounds of warm jazz filtering through the back speakers all end up settling you into an unearthly calm. It might sound like a schmaltzy car commercial to most people, but out on the open road there's a freedom that is impossible to find anywhere else. For Kagome, these feelings were short-lived.

The five o'clock bumper-to-bumper traffic on the freeway, that currently held her hostage, just wasn't Kagome's ideal location for the whole road trip experience. Sure, all of her windows were open, but it was getting into the high heat index and there wasn't even an occasional gust of wind to ease the burning heat in the car. The sun was glistening too, but it bordered closer to glaring. The beams reflecting off of the rear window of "the devil's vehicle" in front of her had hacked away at the fragile composure Kagome had kept through out the traffic jam. It was official; she had a migraine of epic, international proportions. Kagome vowed that she would stop at the first sign of life on this god-forsaken stretch of pavement.

...Several Hours Earlier….

Somehow, Kagome had managed to go south again instead of to the west. Which coincidentally lead her toward her current location of somewhere in Southern Georgia, probably near Savannah. She had assumed that with a GPS system she could do no wrong and that she wouldn't need to invest in an expensive national map with all the little roads on it. After all, Shippo wouldn't lead her astray right? Well that was true, but it may be important to note that some time after leaving the Wolfe properties Kagome recalled that she had forgotten her car charger for the GPS system she'd bought. It was most likely still sitting innocently on her bedside table beside the millions of flowers in her temporary room. At the thought of the motif Kagome gave an involuntary shudder. No matter how many times she blinked she would continue to see that peony-pattern on the backs of her eyelids. It was permanently burnt into her retinas. It was unfortunate that she didn't have the charger, but she had assumed that she would be fine.

….Present….

With the wall charger in hand she stopped at an off ramp restaurant and asked for the quick use of a wall plug to recharge her GPS the normal way. Imagine her surprise when her waitress informed her that,

"Only paying customers can do stuff like that. You want some pie sweetie?"

She knew that no matter how sweet this middle aged woman tried to seem, that she was a businesswoman first and that she really would have to buy something for the privilege of a little electricity. Now usually that wouldn't be an issue, but poor Kagome had no way to foresee exactly how much trouble it could set in motion.

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I grab my jacket, but I'm pretty sure I won't need it

Still a week to St. Patrick's, but it feels like May

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Kagome immediately returned to her vehicle for a few dollars to purchase some pie and milk and recharge her damned GPS. She figured that she might as well try the 'local classic' before she leaves the area since she knew that a return trip was unlikely. California was her destination, and she would not look back until she absolutely had to. Kagome reached for her keys in her front pocket and didn't feel them there; switching to the other pocket she was slowly beginning to build up a sweat on the back of her neck. She was in a foreign country, on the side of the highway, with her keys locked into her car. She would call for a tow truck if she knew where to get one, or for that matter , could get to her cell phone in her glove compartment. She had a nagging feeling that the nice lady in the diner wouldn't be too gratuitous with phone usage either. Taking a moment to relax and calm her nerves Kagome attempted to think logically.

"How does one go about breaking into their own car? It still feels illegal…"

"Well if you ask me, the first thing you ought to do is find yourself a handsome mechanic to take it back to his shop for you, and work out a price from there. Then again I suppose you weren't really askin' my opinion, now were ya?."

Kagome turned herself to the voice that had interrupted her thought process. She had been slowly getting used to people popping up out of nowhere and speaking to her as if they'd known her for ages. She figured that it was an American habit.

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Gotta 34 stack of quarters, and I know a show that 40 would cover,

And so I check my coat to discover, there's 6 more tucked away

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The man that had spoken continued to stare at her in a rather annoying and all-knowing sort of way once she'd turned around. There was an arrogant smirk set firmly on his face that was complimented by the tinted mischief in his eyes. Immediately Kagome went on the defensive and fell into her "it's my way or the highway" pose; her arms crossed firmly in front of her, her hips slightly popped to one side in a decidedly nonchalant way and an uncaring look to her overall posture. Looking to her nails and then around the dusty parking lot she replied to his comment.

"Well I certainly don't see anyone in the general area matching any of those requirements. Do you?"

Not deterred in the least, the fellow across from her in the parking lot simply continued to smirk through his next statement.

"Oh but my dear Lady, I was in fact describing myself. If you are indeed a damsel in distress, it is my duty to assist you."

With an expression that clearly stated 'Are you serious?' Kagome looked him straight in the eye and attempted to judge his character on only the few things she knew, his outward appearance and his first impression. His looks weren't so bad on a general scale. He looked maybe middle class with hard working shoulders and tough, worn out boots. 'So maybe he wasn't lying about being able to help me. If nothing else he could probably jimmy open one of my car doors. Maybe I could even get him to do it for free…' thought Kagome while an evil smile spread across her face.

While this helpful mechanic stood waiting for another quip Kagome once again turned to her car window. Putting her two hands flat against the glass, about a shoulder width apart she turned to the stranger. She was going to use a skill that she learned from Ayame back in North Carolina…the all powerful puppy pout face. Kagome knew that in this position the man could see the best of her profile, and while she was slightly embarrassed at using it to her advantage, these were desperate times. With a quick breath for strength she had a look that could only mean trouble for any red-blooded man.

"Well…I just don't know what to do with myself. You see all of my money is in the car….and I locked my keys in there…and I don't know anyone here…I'm not even from here!...and I can't get to my phone!...what am I going to do!?..."

After working herself into a visible panic Kagome started in with the puppy dog eyes and in a quiet voice said, "…Do you think that…you…could help me?"

Stunned at the abrupt shift in mood and overall goings on with this unknown woman the man could only stand gaping at her miserable appearance. Never one to let a beautiful young lady become upset he replied with a frivolous bow, "Why of course my lady! I am Miroku. At your service!"

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Could it get any better just

Look at the stars, they fall in line tonight

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Kagome quickly gave this man, Miroku, one of her dashing smiles and turned to look longingly at the keys sitting on the driver's seat once again. Sighing she stepped back from her leaning pose on the car and returned to the diner. If she could get him to fix her car for free, why couldn't she bum a meal off of him too?

"Miss! Miss. Please wait!"

With a dash after Kagome's retreating figure Miroku couldn't help but think maybe he'd get to do a little more than the usual tow job with this one. It might not have taken a lot to twist his arm, but Miroku knew when he was being manipulated. After all, it was a skill he was quite adept at using on other people. He smirked and jogged back into the diner, 'This could be interesting.'

"May I inquire as to what your name is, fair maiden?"

"Well I suppose you could, but I don't give that kind of information out to just anyone you know."

Leaning a bit closer he said, "And what would one have to do to fall into these good graces of yours?"

"Pie."

Startled, Miroku looked away from her chest and into her eyes.

"Pie?"

"Yes, pie. I'm feeling a craving. I suppose that if you really don't want to know I would just sit here and starve…eventually."

With a laugh Miroku replied, "Well we can't have that now can we? Minerva!"

"Whad'ya want?" The lovely waitress from earlier popped up and appeared to be in a rather foul mood at seeing Kagome again.

"Two slices of your best pie down here!"

Looking startled Minerva smiled and said, "O'course dears, comin' right up!"

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Look at the stars, spread out your hands, never felt the world so light

Look at the stars, they fall

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After a rather delicious piece of pie Kagome quickly charged her GPS system under the watchful eye of Minerva, the waitress. Now se could get her car opened and be on her way. All things considered she figured she'd handed the situation quite well. If only she could get Miroku stop putting his arm around her she would be a happy camper. Unfortunately that didn't appear to be a miracle in her near future. He was very insistent that the car should come back to the shop with him as it looked, in his words, 'unreliable at best.' Even after explaining that she'd just gotten it fixed up a few days ago he could not be swayed. Apparently the Wolfe's had a slight state feud going on with Miroku. No wonder they wanted her to steer clear of this highway, it was Miroku's main towing area. Although, he was a bit more debonair than other towing workers she'd met in her life. 'He can't be that bad, right?' Kagome grimaced, knowing she had jinxed herself.

The sun was just beginning its nightly routine when Miroku finally got Kagome to concede to his nagging. After hitching her car onto the tow crane he lead her toward the passenger door of the truck cab. Like a gentleman, he gave her a hand up into the high truck. Unfortunately it was a hand that no proper lady would have accepted. With a surprised squeak Kagome turned around and kicked whatever she could reach, which considering the height of the truck ended up being Miroku's shoulder. The impact sent him reeling back a few feet to land on the pavement. A few other regulars turned to look at the scuffle and had absolutely no surprise on their faces. They knew exactly what Miroku did when in the presence of an attractive young woman, he just 'had' to cop a feel on their behinds.

After brushing himself off Miroku walked back toward Kagome only to find that she had closed the door and was looking straight at the windshield. With a hand at the back of his neck, denoting his nervousness, Miroku tried going the innocent route first.

"Miss Kagome, I'm not exactly sure what I did to warrant that kind of kick."

In a clipped voice Kagome replied while still looking away from him, "I believe you know exactly what you did Miroku, and I would appreciate it if you would never, ever, do it again. Now let's go. The sooner you're done with my car the sooner I can go."

Not looking to push his luck, Miroku went around the front of the truck and hauled himself into the driver's seat with an ease that only long-time practice could give. He turned the ignition and Kagome had to hold in another squeak when the entire vehicle jumped like a kicked horse. That could not be a good sign. Wrenching the gearshift into drive Miroku began to pull out of the diner's parking lot with a pleasant smile on his face. He chose to break the silence that had settled over them both.

"It should only take about an hour to get to my shop, then we'll see about getting' your little car fixed up."

Without answering, Kagome began settling herself in for the long, awkward drive when she was once again startled to hear the upset voice of Minerva.

"Miroku, you stingy bastard! You didn't leave me no TIP!" With a halfhearted wave out of the window he yelled over the sound of his engine.

"My apologies, Minerva!"

Careful not to let Miroku see, Kagome sat back in the beat up leather of the truck seat with a small smile on her face. 'That woman didn't give very good service anyhow.'

Apparently she had been thinking out loud because Miroku let out a loud guffaw and turned onto the highway.

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Look at the stars, they fall

Lookat the stars, they fall in line

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It was a quiet drive down the highway to wherever it was Miroku was taking her, so Kagome chose to sit back and enjoy the southern air. After all, it was harder to enjoy it when you were lost and dodging traffic. As a passenger she had a front row seat with a breeze. Miroku must've turned on the radio, because the rhythmic sounds were Kagome's last memory before she drifted off.

With a gentle shake to her arm Miroku roused Kagome from a rather nice dream. With a grumbly sound she turned only to find Miroku leaned over the center console with a rather odd look on his face. Dare she call it concern? She gave him a sleepy smile and a small, "Hey." His face relaxed a bit and he returned the greeting, but there was still something behind his eyes that she couldn't really identify.

"You just stay there okay? I'll come around and get you, you must be beat."

"Mmm..okay." She suddenly cracked a huge yawned which made Miroku give a soft laugh. She heard the door shut and the crunching of his heavy boots on what must have been gravel. The slow ascent into the waking world alerted her to several things. First, that it was still very dark outside and they were parked, so they must be at Miroku's shop. Second, that she was alone with a virtual stranger on the side of the highway in the aforementioned darkness. Ah, here was the waking moment, one filled with suffocating apprehension. 'Why did I agree to this again?'

At that moment her door swung open and due to her placement in the truck she started to go with it. Her morning reflexes were not the best, so she had no way to stop her fall to the ground. Thankfully, two warm arms caught her about halfway out of the cab. With a quick look up toward Miroku all she could see was his messy dark hair and the bottom side of his face. He was closing the door with one arm as the other worked to hold her weight. Somewhere in her fuzzy mind she decided that he must be really strong, and that if he caught her she must not have anything to worry about. This was Miroku, the adorably odd mechanic who saved her from the scary waitress lady. 'Why was I scared again?' With a comforted sigh she began to drift back to sleep. No one could claim she was a morning person, so her sleepy thought process wasn't the best. Luckily for her, she wasn't wrong. Despite certain untoward tendencies around attractive behinds, Miroku really was harmless.

"C'mon Kagome stay awake just a few minutes more." Miroku needed her to be awake to see the inside of his place. If she woke up somewhere unfamiliar he didn't want to have to deal with the panic attack that was sure to follow. She wasn't the first person that he'd had to house overnight for a patch job on their cars, so he knew the drill.

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Got a car full of moonlight, down the hill it's a good sight

With the green winks in a straight line, I never touched the brakes

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To Kagome the first glimpses of Miroku's place were a hazy blur, but as instructed she attempted to stay awake. He was carrying her after all, it was the least she could do. However, she was fading fast and the need to stay awake was becoming less important by the second.

When Miroku finally got her to the guest room he set her down in a wicker chair off to the side and went about setting up the bed. No one had used the room in a few months so he hadn't put any sheets on for a while. Once that was done he turned back to Kagome, only to find her curled up like a cat on the chair. With a small suffering sigh he went to try and wake her up…again.

"If you weren't so darned pretty, I might just let you lay there ya know."

"Hmm?"

"Ya gotta wake up Kagome. I got a bed ready for you, but you don't want to sleep in your shoes do you?"

"…..Noo…."

"Then c'mon, open those pretty eyes."

"Hmmmph….okayy."

Rubbing her face with her hand Kagome did wake up slightly. With the sort of tunnel vision that only comes with sleepiness, she single-mindedly took off her shoes without ever looking at Miroku. She completely forgot his presence and proceeded to then take off her sweater and belt. Miroku, at this point, could only sit and stare. 'Is she just gonna strip right here?' Kagome then stood with a wobble, which Miroku also stood to help her with. Thinking she had grabbed a table or something of the sort to steady herself, Kagome then went to the clasp of her jeans. 'Well that settles it, she really is gonna take her clothes off right here.' Miroku, in all of his intelligent glory, failed to realize that she simply didn't realize he was there. Since he figured that she was simply secure in herself, he didn't move to stop her. He simply continued to stare in veiled appreciation when her pants dropped to the floor. She had legs he considered drool worthy, pale and long with traces of honed muscle that kept them from being fragile. The cute baby blue panties just added to her allure. They showed nothing inappropriate, but flattered her in every way.

Letting go of 'the table' Kagome put her hands at the bottom of her shirt and pulled it upwards revealing a toned stomach and a bra that matched her underwear. Once that was done she flung it off herself in an uncaring way. Luckily enough, it landed right on Miroku's chest and it temporarily drove his attention away from the enthralling sight in front of him. When he looked up his face was pelted by something. When he removed it from his person he found that it was none other than Kagome's bra. Unable to resist the temptation he looked at the tag. 'Hmm… 36C, I can work with that.' Placing shirt and bra beside him on the wicker chair he looked up to the owner of both to find her standing away from him.

It was at this moment that Miroku started to truly realize the gravity of the situation he found himself in. A beautiful woman was standing in a bedroom clothed only in her underwear right in front of him. He was starting to feel a little warm in the most sensual of ways. Her back was still to him, she appeared to be getting the knots out of her hair. Standing and moving towards her, Miroku drank in the sight of her. So natural in everyway, nothing fancy. She was just a beautiful woman who was comfortable enough to stand with him in next to nothing. He could see the gentle slope from her waist to her hips and found himself so tempted. Before he even thought of it, his hands came up to settle on her hips and reached around to find the front edges of her underwear. She was so cool against his warm skin. The move put him flush against her back with his face settled on her shoulder. Her hair covered her chest from him, but at the moment he was very content.

The moment his masculine heat met her back Kagome simultaneously stiffened and relaxed. She was awake now, that was for sure. She assumed the man behind her was Miroku, what she couldn't guess was how she had ended up practically naked with him in the room. It slowly came back to her. She had yet to truly react to Miroku's proximity, and at that moment she couldn't find the will power in her to push him away. He wasn't really doing anything truly inappropriate to her. It was more like a hug…minus the clothes.

Kagome wasn't what one would call a prude. In fact, after having worked in the lingerie department of a store for a time, she was very comfortable with the general female body. After a few boyfriends she also became very, very aware of the male anatomy. At this very moment, she was also becoming rather aware of the male that resided directly behind her.

Blame it on the sleepiness, or the need to be with someone after so long, but Kagome was okay with what was going on. She had no plans on sleeping with him tonight, but a little kissing and touching couldn't really be held against her. She was on a trip for self-discovery! She was supposed to do crazy things and try whatever seemed worth trying, right? 'Well, why not? He's nice, and cute…as long as he doesn't get too frisky I'll go along with it.' She was just sleepy enough to have lower inhibitions, and at this moment that was working in Miroku's favor. The world started moving at regular speed again and Kagome began to react to Miroku's touches. Which had become more like trails of heat on her skin. With deliberate slowness she turned in his grasp and met his eyes. Lifting her arms toward his neck and shoulders she leaned in and closed her eyes once more. Their lips met in quiet agreement. After that moment it became something more fervent, more needy. Miroku slid his hands lower on Kagome's body and lifted her legs around his waist. Mumbling lightly under her kisses, he decided the guest room was no longer applicable for their activities. Settling one arm beneath Kagome's legs and the other between her shoulder blades Miroku began the mind-numbing journey toward his own, more comfortable bed.

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And I met a sweet set of blue eyes, while I wait at the back of a short line

Is it fate the last two seats are side by side, I'm gonna call this grace

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Kagome awoke in a comfortable cocoon of warmth and contentment. She knew exactly where she was, she was in the arms of a very handsome, very attentive lover. They hadn't had sex despite the strained look on Miroku's face at being told her limits. He had conformed to her wishes, and knowing this and how loving he was with her form last night she could not find a single regret in her mind. Looking down at Miroku's sleeping face she smiled because she knew that this man was really the real deal. He was a gentleman. Perverted, yes, but a gentleman nonetheless. They were rare now a days, and she was slightly disappointed that she would only know him for such a short time. Kagome knew that this was a one-time thing for both of them. She could simply sense that he was not the man for her, so she would continue toward California.

Miroku's arms tightened slightly around her and he nuzzled farther into her stomach. It looked as though she was his safe spot against the evils of the waking world. Kagome started giggling when his nose tickled her sensitive side, and that finally brought him out of his sleep.

"A man could get used to waking up like this ya know."

"I'm sure….just stop….tickling me!"

"I'll think about it." Miroku began trailing light kisses up her body until he was finally on top of her. He then gave Kagome a good morning kiss that tempted her to stay in bed all day. With a mown she returned his kisses for a few more moments before pushing back. With a soft smile she gave him a silent message. He seemed to understand as he left a lingering kiss on her temple and rolled off to the side before sitting up. She slowly arched up off the bed in a cat-like stretch before leaning over the side of the bed. Without an ounce of shame she stood up and walked out into the hall to find the guest bedroom. It was only a few feet away, walking in she took in the state of things and found her clothes scattered across the room. There was a fleeting blush across her face as she realized exactly how brazen she was, but then again it had quite the results. Slowly redressing she again entered the hallway to find Miroku. She could hear movement a little farther down and saw Miroku walking back into his kitchen. The screen door closed with a clang and then she heard a wonderful sound. The sound of her keys jingling. She knew they were hers because she had a single bell on a string hanging from one of the key rings. Gina had given it to her with her keys, calling it a trademark of their car company. 'That little extra touch,' she'd said. Well at this moment it was certainly making Kagome very happy. She made a short jump into Miroku's arms and hugged him for all she was worth.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

With a laugh Miroku told her, "You're very welcome Kagome."

He handed her the keys along with a piece of paper. Thinking it was a bill of some kind Kagome began to frown until she opened it and saw a string of numbers below his name. Giving him a sly look she leaned down to his kitchen table where there was a crossword and pen and wrote her own phone number in the margin.

"I'll be seeing you Miroku."

"If you ever pass though these parts again you know you can come on over."

"I'll do that." She gave him another hug and a quick kiss before turning toward the screen door. Stopping again she looked over her shoulder to look at Miroku once more. He had an odd smile on his face. One that said a lot more than she was willing to hear.

"You know, if you're ever in Japan look up the Higurashi Shrine, I'd love the visit….and….if I meet a nice girl on my way across this country of yours, I might just slip your number to her. You're a wonderful man Miroku."

"Honsho. Miroku Honsho, and I'd appreciate any help you could give me, my dear Kagome Higurashi."

With that she walked out of his house with sun shining down on her and a grand feeling she couldn't describe. This was not the last she would hear of Miroku Honsho, she could feel it. Briskly jumping into her little blue car and she started up the engine and set up her GPS. Kagome honked twice to let Miroku know she was going. She pulled back out onto the highway after the feminine voice of her GPS told her, "Turn left now."

Miroku was left leaning in his doorframe with piece of paper in his hands. Ripping off the only important part he stuffed it into his front pocket and went back to work with a content look on his face.

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Could it get any better just...

Today it was dreadful and tomorrow might get worse, oh oh,

But I let it go for now cause for now, yeah some how the world just works

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If you feel inspired to review I would, of course, greatly appreciate it!

Ko


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